Power-generating apparatus.



F. L. WILLIAMS.

POWER GENERATING APPARATUS.

APPUCATIDII FILED JUNE 2!, 1916- Patented J an. 30, 1917.

ll. IIU I ll all ML. Williams. 7

UM WM 1 FRED L. WILLIAMS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

POWER-GENERATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

Application tiled June 21, 1916. Serial No. 104,906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED L. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Power-Generating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a power generating apparatus.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a water boiler, hereinafter to be termed an open boiler, and in connection with'same to provide a novel means for forcing hot gases directly through the body of water contained in the boiler to heat the water.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for subjecting a portion of the water contents to a vacuum to permit boiling of the water and a liberation of steam at temperatures considerably below 212 Fahrenheit; and, furthermore, to provide means for maintaining a predetermined vacuum and to develop power from the steam generator.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a central, vertical section, partly diagrammatic, showing the arrangement of the different units involved.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A indicates a boiler; 2 a steam turbine of any suitable construction; and 3 a water tube condenser which is connected with the exhaust side of the turbine. The boiler proper may, in this instance, be constructed of any suitable material and its upper end is open to permit the insertion of a bell 4, which is so positioned that its lower end will be completely submerged in the water 5 contained in the boiler. Positioned in the lower end of the boiler and entirely surrounded by water is a combustion chamber 6, and mounted in said chamber is a burner 7 of suitable construction.

Formed in the chamber is a plurality of discharge openings 8, which are provided for the purpose ofpermitting a free liberation of the products of combustion, and connected with the combustion chamber, by means of a pipe 9, is a rotary compressor 10,

The constantly supplied air drives out the products of combustion and delivers the same at a point within the boiler where the gases will have to pass through a considerable body of water before they are finally liberated through the upper open end of same, indicated at 11. All the heat generated by the burner 7 is in this instance absorbed by the water as the combustion chamber is entirely surrounded by same. The escaping gases or products of combustion containing considerable heat units will also materially assist in heating the water contents as they will necessarily pass from end to end of the boiler before escaping at the point indicated at 11.

Connecting the intake side of the turbine 2 with the bell 4 is a casing 12 which serves the purpose of conveying steam from the bell to the turbine and in a like manner connecting the exhaust side of the turbine with the condenser 3 is a casing 13 which is sufiiciently large to permit a free escape of the expanded steam before it enters the condenser. Connecting the lower end of the condenser with the boiler is a pipe 14, and operable in connection with said pipe is a feed pump 15 which is provided for the purpose of returning all condensed water obtained in the condenser back to the boiler. Connected with the housing 13 is a suction air pump 16, which'is provided for the purpose of removing any air which might otherwise accumulate between the condenser and the exhaust side of the turbine. Mounted interiorly of the casing 12 and directly connected with the turbine 2 is a dynamo 17, and adapted to supply circulating water for the condenser 3 is a pump 18 of any suitable construction.

The operation of the combined units here shown will be as follows: With the rotary compressor 10 in operation and with the burner 7 started, it will be seen that the water 5, contained in the open-ended boiler, will soon obtain considerable temperature as practically every heat unit developed by the burner is absorbed, first, by radiation through the walls of the combustion chamher, and, second, by passing the discharging products of combustion directly through the body of water contained within the boiler; the passage of said heated gases or products of combustion being controlled to 12 to the bell t and will, therefore, permit with the turbine.

- boiling and liberation of steam at this point long before normal atmospheric boilin temperature or 212 Fahrenheit is obtaine The steam thus liberated passes through the housing 12 directly to the intake 'of the ture bine and here performs its work before escaping into the housing 13, with connected condenser 3. The steam acted upon by the condenser isimmediately reduced in volume thus maintaining a-vacuum independently of the pump 16, once the operation has been started. The dynamo 17, mounted interiorly of the housing 12' directly in the path of the incoming steam, which is comparatively low in temperature, due to itsliberation in a partial vacuum, serves the purpose of reducing the temperature of the dynamo,

and the dynamo in turn serves the function of imparting heat to the steam. This arrangement has other advantages as it positively eliminates all stufling boxes or journals which would otherwise be requiredboth in connection with thedynamo and By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the exhaust and water jacket of a Diesel engine, generally indicated at 20, have been connected with the boiler A. It is well-known that the efliciency of internal combustion engines of this type seldom exceeds twenty-five to thirty per cent, this being due to the fact that the majority of the heat units are absorbed either by the water jacket or lost by escaping through the exhaust pipe, in the present instance it is possible to utilize all of these heat units as the exhaust gases from the pipe 21 are permitted to escape through the boiler water in a manner similar to the products of combustion which are discharged from the cornbustionchamber 6. The heat of the exhaust is thus entirely absorbed by the boiler water during the passage of the individual bubbles through the boiler and this heat again permits liberation of steam, particularly at a point within the bell where the water is subjected to the vacuum maintained therein;

The present system or arrangement of units here shown is particularly intended for use on battleships where a great amount of power is required for short periods. The Diesel engine 20' could normally be employed may be such as the judgment of the manufacturer and the conditions of the particular installation may require. Also, each pump or compressor employed may be directly driven from the turbine or engine 2Q, or independently driven, as conditions ma requlre.

,7 aving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A i 1. A power generating apparatus comprising an open-ended boiler adapted'to contain water, means for passing a heating medlum through said bo1ler and out the open end thereof for heating said water, a steamoperated, powergenerating unit, a condenser connected with the exhaust side of the unlt, and a pipe connected with the inlet side of the unit, said pipe havingits opposite end submerged the water contained in the boiler.

2. A power generating apparatus compipe having its opposite end submerged in the water contained in the boiler. 3. A power generating apparatus compris mg a water-containing, open-ended boiler, a combustion chamber in the boiler surrounded by the water, said combustion chamber having a plurality of openings formed therein for the escape of the prodnets of combustion and said openings being arranged to permit the liberated products to escape directly through the water body contained in the boiler, a burner in the combustion chamber, means for continuously supplying the combustion chamber with air under pressure a bell having one end submerged in the boiler water, a steamturbine supplied with steam from said bell, and a condenser connected with the exhaust side of the turbine. I

t. A power generating apparatus comprising a water-containing, open-ended boiler, a combustion chamber in the boiler surrounded by the water, said'combustion chamher having a plurality ofopenings formed merged in the boiler water, a steam turbine supplied with steam from said bell, a condenser connected with the exhaust side ofthe turbine, a dynamo connected with the turbine, and a housing inclosing the dynamo and turbine, said housing also serving the purpose of a steam delivery pipe between the bell and the turbine.

5. A power generating apparatus comprising a water-containing, open-endedboiler,

-a combustion chamber in the boiler surrounded by the water, said combustion chamber having a plurality of openings formed therein for the escape of the products of combustion and said openings being arranged to permit the liberated products to escape directly through the water body contained in the boiler, a burner in the combustion chamber, means for continuously supplying the combustion chamber with air under pressure, a bell having one end submerged in the boiler water, a steam turbine supplied with steam from said bell, a condenser connected with the exhaust side of the turbine, a dynamo connected with the turbine, a housing inclosing the dynamo and turbine, said housing also serving the purpose of asteam delivery pipe between the bell and the turbine, means for creating a circulation of water between the bell and the boiler water, and means for returning condensed' water from the condenser to the boiler.

6. vA power generating apparatus comprising a water-containing, open-ended boiler, a combustion chamber in the boiler surrounded by the water, said combustion chamber having a plurality of openings formed therein for the escapeof the products of combustion and said openings being arranged to permit the liberated products to escape directly through the water body contained in the boiler, a burner in the combustion chamber, means for continuously supplying the combustion chamber with air under pressure, a bell having one end submerged in the boiler water, a steam turbine supplied with steam from said bell, a condenser connected with the exhaust side of the turbine, and means for preventing the escaping products of combustion from entering the bell.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of a subscribing witness.

FRED L. WILLIAMS.

Witness:

FRANCES V. Conn. 

